Nutty Fruit Cake

By LyndaB

Ingredients

• 50 g dried apricots roughly chopped
• 115 g glace cherries quartered
• 225 g currants 225g sultanas 225g seedless raisins
• 50 g chopped mixed peel
• 75 ml rum
• 225 g butter
• 225 g soft dark brown sugar
• finely grated rind of 1 lemon
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 225 g plain flour (not cake & pastry)
• pinch salt
• 1/2 tsp ground mace (or use nutmeg if unavailable)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 50 g blanches almonds, roughly chopped
• 2 x 15ml tbsps milk
• 175 g mixed nuts to decorate

Preparation

Step 1

1. Place all dried fruit and peel in a bowl. Pour the rum over it, cover and leave overnight.

2. Brush an 8in round cake tine with melted lard/butter then line the base and sides with parchment paper. Tie a double thickness of brown paper around the outside of the tin.

3. Beat butter until soft. Gradually beat in the sugar with the lemon rind until light in colour. Add the eggs, a little at a time, beating well each time.

4. Sieve together the flour, salt and spices. Using a large metal spoon, fold the flour into the creamed ingredients along with the soaked fruit, chopped almonds and milk.

5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface. Gently push the mixed nuts on to the top of the cake.

6. Bake in 150c/350f/gas mark 2 for about 31/2 hours oruntil a skwer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cover lightly with foil during baking, if necessary, to prevent overbrowning. Leave to cool in the tin. Turn out and wrap tightly in greaseproof/parchment paper and foil to store for at least 2 weeks.

7. If wanted, to complete, warm 4 tbsps apricot jam with orange rind and 1 tbsps orange juice, sieve, then brush over the nuts to glaze.